Michigan State football recruiting: Will J.D. Duplain stay committed?

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Five teams were on byes this week in the Big Ten, but there was some shake up at the top of the rankings after Ohio State defeated Penn State. Where does this put Michigan and Michigan State? Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images

“The guy that probably stands out No. 1 right now, as far as the Ohioans, is J.D. Duplain,” said Bill Kurelic, Ohio football recruiting analyst for 247Sports. “Because Ohio State just offered him a scholarship. And that’s going to be interesting to see what he does. He’s still committed to Michigan State, but now he has that Ohio State scholarship offer.”

“Any time you can beat the schools that they had on their list, those guys really have their options to play in almost any corner of the country,” said Allen Trieu, Midwest football recruiting analyst for 247Sports. “Those are two guys that have always played well.”

Trieu said he’s impressed by two other receivers, Tre Mosley and Jake Bowen. He also highlighted Alante Brown as a potential difference-maker, one of the under-the-radar MSU players who isn’t highly-recruited but might see playing time early.

And while there are only a few spots remaining this year, there’s still work to be done.

“I think defensive line is one spot that’s definitely a priority for the rest of the class,” Trieu said. “One more linebacker. They lost a safety recruit in the summer. ... Depending on what happens here, there’re a couple of other schools that are trying to take their O-line commits. So I could see possibly another offensive lineman.

“I don’t think it’s a certainty they take a quarterback. But if they can find one that they like, I think quarterback is still a position that’s still alive in this class.”

Though the number of available spots also fluctuates based on the current roster. Third-year players are eligible to enter the NFL draft, which could open up more scholarships. Trieu pointed at guys like Kirk Cousins and Le’Veon bell as late signees who ended up blossoming into stars at MSU.

“I think when you look at the past, Michigan State has always done a good job of being prepared,” Trieu said. “It always seems like they’re ready with a guy that many recruiting analysts or fans have heard of. But they’ve done a great job of filling needs late in the cycle before.”

The Spartans have heavily targeted the Midwest for recruits, a Mark Dantonio staple. Of the 16 committed thus far, eight are from Michigan, five from Ohio, two from Illinois and one from Indiana.

“I think Michigan State has kind of been built upon this blue-collar, Midwestern type of feel,” Trieu said. “And you find those kids that are used to playing cold-weather games and kind of understand the culture of football in the Midwest and the Big Ten.”

Belleville wide receiver Julian Barnett (3) runs against Dearborn Fordson during the first half of an MHSAA football game at Belleville High School in Belleville, Friday, September 28, 2018.(Photo: Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press)

While the Spartans again don’t have one of the best recruiting classes in the country, it’s looking to be another solid Dantonio class, which can officially sign with MSU on Dec. 19.

“It’ll be somewhere in the neighborhood they typically are,” Trieu said of the recruiting class. “Although I think having a couple of guys at the top of the class like Dobbs and Barnett, who bring up the ranking. I think that gives them a chance to be a little bit higher than they were at that No. 31-mark last year.”